


And I Have So Many Questions

by nerav



Series: Sweeping, Undiscovered Worlds [5]
Category: THE iDOLM@STER, THE iDOLM@STER: SideM
Genre: Amehiko is a troll, Censorship, Established Relationship, Humor, M/M, POV Multiple, Secret Relationship, Sexual Humor, Sora & Amehiko friendship... sorta, Tsubasa being the big brother to Kanon, crackfic, less about the ship and more about everyone's reaction
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2018-05-14
Updated: 2018-05-14
Packaged: 2019-05-06 21:50:49
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 4,522
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/14656926
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/nerav/pseuds/nerav
Summary: Chris has a red mark on his neck. Everyone naturally comes to the most obvious conclusion.





	And I Have So Many Questions

**Author's Note:**

> This is hugely a crackfic, and there is probably gonna be some suspension of disbelief for the events that follow. I'm not sorry also btw.

Sora was the first to notice it.

Rehearsal had just finished for Legenders, and their instructor went on break. Panting, each member rushed to snatch the nearby towels and rub off every droplet of sweat on them. As much as they desired a quick, refreshing bath, they only had a half-hour break before their practice runs on stage would start. They needed to be ready, whether or not their muscles were already aching.

Sora was the most winded of the trio, not even having the stamina to stand up straight and dry himself properly. He bent over and gripped his knees as he gasped for air. He could barely hear Chris’s concerns through his wheezing.

Though, much to his chagrin, he _did_ hear Amehiko’s chuckling. Narrowing his eyes, he forced himself to lift his head and glare straight at him, hoping to silence him with a chilling stare.

Unfortunately, Amehiko wasn’t facing him. In fact, he had already moved on from his sneering and faced Chris instead. His lips were curved, not in a form of a smug smirk, but into a warm smile. It was expected; they were lovers, after all. While Sora and Amehiko constantly showed their affection through bickering and teasing, his relationship with Chris was only partially that.

Chris didn’t reciprocate the longing stare, however. Eyes closed, he had his head raised as he chugged down a cool bottle of water. From Sora’s angle, he was able to see each bob of his Adam’s apple with every gulp.

That was when he noticed it.

On Chris’s neck, there was a large splotch of redness, remarkably contrasted with his fair skin. With how eye-catching it was, Sora was surprised that he didn’t notice it earlier. Though, upon a second glance, he realized that it was probably hidden underneath the collar of his compression shirt. If he didn’t know better, it was almost like it was a….

He couldn’t even finish that train of thought.

Sora blinked rapidly, wondering if it was merely a figment of his imagination as a result of fatigue. He was half-tempted to pull his cheek, but it felt all too real. He couldn’t even fathom how to respond to this sight. And he _definitely_ didn't want to ask Chris about it.

Once the initial shock wore over, he couldn’t help but feel amused. It served as an embarrassing piece of evidence over how well Amehiko was “treating” Chris. It almost warmed his heart even. Though his unitmates were quite the oddballs, he was nevertheless happy for their love—even if he didn’t want to think about what they do during off-hours.

He also couldn’t deny the tiniest bit of glee upon discovering the perfect ammo for revenge. He waited until Chris left the room for a quick use of the restroom before confronting Amehiko.

“Amehiko- _san_ ,” he said, smiling, “I didn’t realize that you’re quite the brute~”

Amehiko raised his eyebrow. “What are you talking about?”

“Oh, don’t mind me~ I just happen to notice these little things~”

“Are you speaking in haikus again, or are you going to talk like a normal person for once?”

“It seems you were quite rough with Chris- _san_ last night~ Did you two had fun at least~?”

Amehiko held his breath, baffled by Sora’s directness. “You know, you’re rather depraved for someone so young. I feel like I should cleanse that mind of yours.”

It brought a chuckle from Sora. “I may look smaller compared to the two of you, but I am still an adult~”

“I’m sensing some hidden intentions behind your persistent questioning. Are you scheming something, Kitamura?”

“I just thought of giving you a friendly reminder to be more careful next time, Amehiko- _san_ ~ Chris- _san_ still has to perform on stage, after all~ His singing could use some work, but his looks make up for his imperfections. You shouldn’t ruin his best efforts by leaving such a mark on his neck~”

“His neck?” Amehiko looked away in contemplation.

Sora wasn’t sure why Amehiko was playing dumb now. Perhaps he was too prideful to admit his huge slip-up.

Finally, it seemed to have clicked in Amehiko’s brain. “Oh,” he murmured. “ _That_ mark.”

“For a moment, I was starting to regret pairing you two up. I didn’t expect you to be so violent with someone as soft as Chris- _san_. But maybe I shouldn’t be so surprised~”

Amehiko was too lost in his own thoughts to immediately respond. It took a few seconds before he finally faced Sora again.

“Ah,” he said, his lips curling into a sly smirk. He crossed his arms. “Well, you definitely got me there, Kitamura. I suppose I should confess my sins: you’re right, I certainly can be rough at times.”

At last, victory. Sora couldn’t resist a tiny smile.

Amehiko bent over to level himself with Sora’s height. “But,” he whispered, narrowing his eyes, “only when Koron wants me to be.”

His instant gratification swiftly dissipated.

“You’d be surprised over how greedy Koron gets under the sheets,” he said, in an almost condescending tone. “Like this one night—”

Sora’s face blanched.

Amehiko bore the most shit-eating grin. “One night, he was really **#######** , so much that he **######** —”

Oh, no.

_No, no, no, no, no._

“He loved it when I **######** and **######.** He practically begged me to **#######** —”

“A-Ah,” Sora murmured, eyes slowly widening.

Only now did he realize his own folly. He quickly regretted opening his mouth in the first place. But it was too late to stop Amehiko now—not after he finally got the upperhand.

Amehiko paid no heed to Sora’s face of pure dread and rambled on, “So I **#######** and **#######,** over and over. I think he had two **#######** just from me **#######.** When he **#######,** that’s when I **#######** —”

"Amehiko- _san_!" Sora screeched, quickly covering his ears to block out the rest. “ _Stop it, please~!_ ”

“Ah,” Amehiko chuckled, “but you seemed so interested in what happened. I thought you’d be fine with me explaining?”

Before Sora could bark back, a third voice interrupted them. “Sora? What happened?”

Glancing towards the doorway, it appeared that Chris had returned. He halted his tracks as soon as his eyes locked with Sora’s. He gaped over his sorry sight.

“Are you not feeling well?” he said, grasping his chest.

Chris looked genuinely concerned. It was just a shame that his face was the last thing Sora wanted to see right now. Not without imagining _that_.

“Nothing to fret over,” Amehiko said, patting Sora’s back. Hard. “We were just having a friendly chat.” He eyed Sora while smiling smugly, rubbing more salt into the wound. “Isn’t that right, Kitamura?”

Sora was too indignant to retort. At this point, he didn’t even care that Amehiko had the last laugh. All he wanted right now was to purge all those graphic images from his mind.

 

* * *

 

The producer saw it next.

It was that time of the month where the producer would do a status update on all the idols. With how busy their schedules were, the last thing he wanted was to accidentally overburden them. Thus, he always saved time to speak with all 46 of them, one-by-one, to check how they were doing, if they needed a break, if something or someone was bothering them. He even asked how their families were doing, or if they watched any good movies lately.

The last person left on his roster was Chris. He felt relieved to speak with him last. Unlike other certain idols that were a bit rough around the edges, Chris was a far more approachable person: very polite and docile; a more model example of a professional idol.

The only reservations he had were Chris’s frequent, lengthy ocean speeches. Still, the producer was not worried. Compared to other eccentricities, his was doable. All the producer needed was a clear head—as well as a lot of coffee.

Once he heard the door opening, he removed himself from his seat to greet him. Chris was wearing his wetsuit garb as usual, which at this point, the producer was no longer put off by. When the producer approached him, Chris dipped into a bow before rising up.

That was when the producer saw it. Chris’s mark.

It was the last thing he expected to see. He was stunned speechless by its appearance for a moment. Then, remembering formalities, he cleared his throat and exchanged cordial greetings with Chris before bringing him to his desk.

Once they were both seated, the producer did his best to ignore the mark and focus on his main objective. “I hope work has been well for you, Koron- _san_.”

“It’s been wonderful,” Chris said, beaming. “I feel like I’ve improved a lot since I first started joining.”

The producer nodded. “You definitely have. You seem a lot more confident than before. Your singing has also improved remarkably.”

“I'm happy to hear that. It means so much to me that you finally took my suggestion to perform at the local aquarium! I’ve been giving so many lectures there, but I feel like I can finally reach the audience if I performed as an idol.”

He gave a sheepish smile. “I hope Legenders work their best then.”

“Even the day chosen was a really good choice! There should be an exhibition of the blue whales at that time.” He quickly got excited. “In fact, did you know that—”

Just as expected, Chris went on a tangent as he rambled with as much ocean jargon as possible. Most of it flew over the producer’s head, but he remained calm and polite, nodding every so often to show that he was listening. While he gossiped on and on, the producer felt it was a good time to start preparing his coffee.

When discussing over a recent study, Chris was unable to restrain his excitement and slammed his hands over the table. With his body leaned over, his mark fell right back into the producer’s line of sight. The producer froze before he could pour his coffee into his mug. He couldn’t help but stare at it once more.

Soon, even Chris’s speech muted into a muffled fog. The mark quickly consumed all of the producer’s thoughts.

He wondered, should he ask him about it? No, he immediately scoffed, that would be very unprofessional of him. The producer always encouraged the idols to be at their maximum comfort, to express their unique selves without any executive meddling. So long as it didn’t affect their work, what goes on in their personal lives was none of his business.

Still, as their producer, he couldn’t shake off this unease. If his hunch was correct, then he feared for the consequences.

After all, the fame and glamorous idol lifestyle always came with a heavy price: like it or not, having certain relations was generally frowned upon by their society. It would be scandalous and ruin the reputation of not only Chris, but also of the entire agency, should his mark ever reach the public’s awareness.

“Producer- _san_?”

“A-Ah!” the producer stammered, forcing himself to break from his reverie. “F-Forgive me, Koron- _san!_ ”

Just as he feared, Chris noticed his stare. “Is there anything wrong with my appearance?” he said, tilting his head curiously.

He had no choice but to be honest. There was no way he could make this any less awkward. “Forgive me for spacing out a little. I was… a bit distracted by that mark on your neck.”

(‘A bit’ was an understatement, but he digressed.)

Chris’s eyes widened. He brushed a hand near the culpable spot. “Are you referring to this…?”

“Yes.” The producer poured his coffee, feeling his throat dry. He gulped hard. “May I ask, where did it come from…?”

“O-Oh,” Chris murmured. He folded his hands neatly over his lap. His cheeks burned a shade of pink. “To be quite honest, I’m a little ashamed to say… It was a bit of an accident, you see.”

His hesitation only escalated the producer’s fears. “Did something bad happen to you?”

“No, this was….” His blush deepened. “It was from a very pleasurable moment, actually.”

The producer hung his jaw.

“Producer- _san_ ,” Chris gasped.

It took a moment before the producer processed what he was saying. “Huh?”

He pointed below. “Your coffee….”

The producer looked down and also gasped. Without realizing it, he had poured far more than enough coffee. It overflowed from the mug and made a puddle around its circumference, spilling closer and closer to the stacks of papers nearby. Thankfully, his frenzy in cleaning up made enough of a distraction to end this uncomfortable conversation.

Without explaining why, the producer postponed their meeting for another day.

 

* * *

 

Tsubasa didn’t want to acknowledge it.

Of course, it proved difficult when Chris sat right next to him. With Chris facing away, talking with Rui, Tsubasa easily noticed how bright and vibrantly red his mark was. But it was impolite to stare, and he respected Chris enough to not even question it. So instead, he distracted his eyes by staring at his knees. He gripped his pants tightly, desperately waiting to hear his name to be called so he could pull himself away from this awkward situation.

Not to mention, he had to keep himself composed. This photo-shoot was to be on the cover of a prominent magazine—one so popular, that they requested only the best-looking idols for the shoot. He absolutely dreaded ruining it for everyone else by being flustered on set. Or worse, he feared that he would accidentally highlight Chris’s mark to everyone else and end up humiliating him.

But he was forced to acknowledge it when Kanon saw it too.

“Hey, hey,” Kanon chirped, tilting his head cutely. “Chris- _san_ , what’s that on your neck?”

“Ah, well….” Chris shifted in his seat uncomfortably. He brushed a hand near the area in question and blushed a little. “I’m not sure how to explain it….”

“It looks like a mosquito bit you a lot of times!” He made a pouting face. “Kanon gets that a lot whenever I go outdoors in shorts!”

“A bite mark… I suppose that’s one way to describe it.”

The phrasing made Tsubasa nearly gasp. Though he was still inexperienced when it came to intimate matters, he did recognize the term. He recalled a former co-pilot who left the cabin with those ‘love bites’ before, and he shuddered to think about what went on behind those closed doors.

Kanon placed his hand near his mouth. “But Producer- _san_ said that there’s no mosquitos in this season, so I could dress how I want… Is there another thing biting people?”

“Ah, well, you see," he fidgeted, "I would explain more in-depth, but I feel like it’s something you’d understand better when you get older.”

Tsubasa felt his heart sink. It really was as he feared.

“But Kanon doesn’t want to get older! Can you tell me why now? Pretty, pretty please?”

For a moment, Tsubasa saw Chris flashing his eyes towards him. It was a look of plea.

Chris was a brilliant man who could recite thousands of facts about the ocean off the top of his head. But when it came to other, more conventional conversations, he looked dumbfounded on how to express himself. Especially when the topic appeared to be a very adult matter.

“Well,” Chris said, “if I can best describe it in easier terms, it’s a reaction someone gets when they’re very close—”

Tsubasa was stunned. Was Chris really about to explain the birds and the bees to a _nine-year old_? He didn’t fathom why someone as gentlemanly as Chris would behave so coarsely. But at this moment, he would withhold his judgment. There was something far more important to address.

His big brother instinct ushered him to leave his seat and approach Kanon. He gently patted his head and gave the best smile he could muster out of this awkward situation.

“H-He means, when people get too close while playing, they accidentally leave bruises sometimes,” he said, trying to calm his trembling voice.

“Is that true?” Kanon said, looking up at Tsubasa.

“Yes, it happens a lot, actually. Like one time, Teru- _san_ tried to tickle Kaoru- _san,_ to make him laugh." He couldn’t resist a small chuckle as the scenario reeled through his mind. “Kaoru- _san_ accidentally bumped him in the head out of reflex.”

“Oooh,” Kanon said, nodding. “I remember! He had a funny mark right on his forehead for days! He kept calling it his hero symbol!”

“That’s right. Do you understand now?"

Kanon beamed. “Kanon gets it now!”

“I’m glad to hear it!” Tsubasa smiled warmly, feeling a wave of relief washing over him.

“Thank you, Kashiwagi- _san_ ,” Chris said, also smiling in gratitude. “You explained it far better than I would have.”

“Ah,” Tsubasa said, scratching his cheek. His eyes were on the mark again, and Chris could easily read the discomfort from his face alone. “I-I’m glad I could help in any way….”

“But,” Kanon spoke again, “who was playing with you then, Chris- _san_?”

Tsubasa’s eyes widened. He felt his blood run cold. He mentally wanted to scream in panic.

He just made matters _worse!_

If Chris were to say whom Tsubasa suspected to be the culprit, then Kanon would just immediately ask why they were playing in the first place, when they didn’t seem the type to do that. The questions would go on and on until they’d have to practically spell it out for him. It was exactly what he feared.

“W-Well,” Tsubasa sputtered, “t-that person was… was….”

“Himeno-s _an_!” a voice hollered from across the room; it was Ken’s. “It’s your turn now!”

Kanon looked away from the duo. “Oh! Kanon's on his way~!”

And just like that, Kanon immediately skipped away, remaining blissfully ignorant. The conversation was abruptly cut, and Tsubasa couldn't have been happier.

He decided to take advantage of the moment and rushed to where refreshments were being served. All the stress left him starving. And he might as well bribe Kanon with sweets, just so they could never speak about this again.

 

* * *

 

Minori noticed it too.

Kyoji and him were walking together, as always. Their work had finished for today, leaving the two lovebirds to enjoy their free time together. On their way back from their dressing room, they chatted about their progress with work. Or rather, Kyoji casually mentioned his and Pierre’s roles in their latest production, and Minori was blindly praising every sentence that came out of his mouth, regardless of whether any of it was good or not.

They were so caught up with each other that they barely noticed when Chris strolled by. Before Chris walked out of their line of sight, Minori noticed something off from the corner of his eye. He observed more carefully and discovered what was amiss—Chris’s mark.

As soon as Minori saw it, he instantly dropped his conversation with Kyoji and froze. His eyes widened and his mouth gaped.

Kyoji glanced at him bewilderedly. Before he could ask what happened, Minori left his side. He rushed straight toward Chris.

“Chris!” Minori exclaimed frantically.

Chris was stunned by the sudden alarm in Minori’s voice. He looked back and raised his eyebrows. “Yes?”

“That mark on your neck…!”

Chris was taken aback by Minori’s direct confrontation. He flinched when Minori snatched his hands and clasped them tightly.

“I’m—”

Just by staring at that mark, Minori couldn’t contain himself any longer. He buried his face into his hands. When he looked up again, he felt streams of tears rushing down his flushed cheeks.

“ _I’m just so happy for you!_ ”

“Eh?” Chris blushed.

“I’m so happy to see you have engaged in something so wonderful!”

“W-Watanabe- _san_ ….”

Minori cupped his own face and let out a sigh of utter ecstasy. “It warms my heart to witness a growth of an idol! It feels like it was only yesterday when I saw Legenders performing their very first live… and now the newest idol has fully made his mark on the world, even more than his veterans!”

“Minori- _san_ ,” Kyoji mumbled, shifting his pupils to the side, “you do realize you’re an idol too, right…?”

Minori ignored him. “Tell me, how was it? I hope you had a beautiful time! An idol like you deserves to be treated like a prince!”

“A-Ah,” Chris looked away bashfully, “it’s actually a bit embarrassing to talk about it….”

He shook his head. “Nonsense! There’s no shame in indulging in something you truly love.”

“You’re absolutely right,” Chris gave a small smile, “It was an exhilarating experience….”

“See!”

“But still, I’m a little afraid of it happening again.”

“It’s okay to feel that way,” he said, closing his eyes briefly. Even if Chris was only a few years younger than him, as his elder, Minori still felt obligated to guide him. “I understand that it can be a bit nerve-wrecking at times, especially during your first time. I’ve been in your place before.”

Chris blinked. “You have?”

“Of course! I may look as young as a flower, but my seeds have spread all over the years. If you ever feel uncertain about it, or have any questions, please don’t hesitate to call me for advice! I have a few books and equipment that might assist you as well.”

“I appreciate your offer. Although, I admit, I’m a bit surprised... I didn’t expect you to be interested in that sort of thing….”

“I’ve actually been doing it for quite some time, ever since I turned eighteen. I've lost count over how many times I had that same mark. Even now,” he blushed a little, glancing towards Kyoji, “I still partake in that activity from time to time.”

Kyoji averted his flushed face, fumbling his lips. Understandably so, as Minori did just flat out talked about their own private experiences. But unlike Kyoji, Minori had no sense of shame.

“Thank you, Watanabe- _san_ ,” Chris said, smiling warmly. “That makes me relieved to hear that I’m not alone. I look forward to speaking with you soon!”

“Ah,” Minori practically swooned, “I’m so honored that an idol wishes to speak with me about these things!”

“Minori- _san_ , you’re an idol too!” Kyoji said again, with extra firmness.

 

* * *

 

Amehiko knew about the mark from the very beginning. He just didn’t care.

To him, it was simply a mark and nothing more. He knew the events that transpired around it, but couldn’t really think much of it. Aside from his conversation with Sora, he forgot it was even there in the first place.

But as Chris discussed about the dozens that approached him about his mark, amongst a few special strange scenarios, Amehiko finally looked back at the mark. He figured, since they were alone finally, that he might as well approach the topic again.

"Sounds like you were quite the popular person today,” Amehiko teased, smirking. "If I didn’t know any better, I’d start to feel jealous.”

“It appeared so,” Chris sighed. “Although, I’m not sure how to feel having so many stare at me today. I'd much rather draw such a crowd when I'm speaking about the ocean."

“Well… With your unique personality, I think you’re better off keeping your standards low.”

“You’re right,” he said, oblivious to the subtle jab Amehiko made. “Just having such attention should be incredibly flattering. And yet,” he blushed, "I'm rather embarrassed that it was all because of this mark. Especially when everyone kept asking where it came from.”

“It can’t be helped. Not that I can blame you for being weirded out about it though. Felt like everyone was giving me strange looks too."

“Really?” Chris shot him a puzzling look. “I don’t understand why… You had nothing to do with it.”

Amehiko froze. He raised his eyebrows.

Did Chris really not…?

Somehow, he had a gut feeling that he knew the answer already, but figured he should ask anyway.

"Koron, do you even know what the hell they were _actually_ thinking when they saw that?"

"Eh?" Chris blinked rapidly. "What do you mean? Isn’t it obvious what it was?"

"Well, of course it’s obvious to  _me_ , but that's because I know you too well, you strange ocean-man. They're a whole different case, however."

"But, I can't imagine why else they would think—”

He decided to be blunt, hoping it would finally penetrate through that thick skull of his. "They’re all thinking that you have a hickey."

Chris's face gradually contorted in horror. "What?"

"You know what those are, right?”

“No, actually… I-Is that bad?”

“Ah,” Amehiko sighed in exasperation. He was truly too pure for him sometimes. “Basically, you get marks like that when someone sucks your skin really damn hard. You know, something lovers typically do when they’re making out."

“Did—” Chris squirmed from the complete humiliation. "Did they really think that? I wasn't even aware of those implications…."

"Well, that’s what you get when you don’t treat that jellyfish sting right away. Of course everyone is going to jump to the wrong conclusions when they see that.”

“But I didn’t have the time,” Chris whimpered. “It was the first time I encountered the _Benthocodon hyalinus_ off the coast of Japan, so all I could think about was documenting my observations right away.”

“Quite hard to forget. You stayed up all night writing and kept me awake about it.”

“Ah, but Amehiko…!” His eyes lit with renewed vigor. “If you had seen it, you would have been spellbound too by its beauty! Even after such a careless mistake on my part, I still look forward to running into it again!”

Amehiko smirked. “I know, I know.”

“Although….” His excitement died down unexpectedly. He crumbled his fingers. “I will keep this incident into consideration the next time this happens.”

“There you go. Now you’ve learned.”

His eyes were downcast. “I’m just so sorry that you were involved as well, Amehiko. It must have been worse for you, especially when you had nothing to do with my mishap. And I know you wanted to keep our relationship a secret, so it must have been—”

Amehiko cut him off with a kiss.

It caught Chris completely off-guard. He widened his eyes and blushed deeply.

Amehiko pulled away and stared at him, frowning. “You thought I was concerned about that? And here I thought you were the smart one.”

“Amehiko,” he murmured.

He pulled Chris close once more and kissed him again, this time less abruptly. Chris pressed his hand against his chest and returned the affection this time. Their lips remained locked and pressed firmly as they savored each second. Feeling his body pressing hotly against him, as well as hearing Chris’s muffled, pleasurable moan fueled Amehiko’s blood.

"Chris," Amehiko muttered, breaking the kiss once more. He smiled. "Tonight… how about we make those rumors come true after all?"

Chris looked surprised by such a bold request. But rather than decline, he kept his silence. After some mulling, he grasped Amehiko’s hand and stroked it gently. He gazed into Amehiko's eyes with shimmering pupils, his cheeks burning crimson.

"I'd love to," he whispered.


End file.
